Light in our Lives
by Heart Of Ice And Stone
Summary: Natsumi a shinobi of Kumogakure has one chance for redemption. And she is sure she won't fail. But of course she doesn't take love into the equation so will this work out for her after all? OC insert.
1. Chapter 1

**I've been telling this to you for almost two weeks now. My surprise To my first fanfic friend nakama and partner in crime And fanfiction.**

**This ones for you girl. :D you know who you are!**

**Disclaimer: pointless I'm own nothing. geesh sound pathetic much?**

**whatevs on with the story.**

* * *

Light in our lives.

Natsumi looked at her white shimmery mask as pinned her blond hair. Her one and only chance to redeem herself as a shinobi of Kumogakure. Samui stepped inside the room and laid out a white strapless silk dress with lace covering the upper half and a ruffled sash at the waist. Natsumi looked at her sister and shrugged before trying the dress on.

"Sis? You know I will trip in this dress right?"

Samui sighed remembering her younger sister's tendency to "accidentally" slip.

"Yeah I know. But you will have to wear it. You are going under cover you know. So you need to look the part."

"I will mess the part up the moment I slip. Oh god! Please tell them this is a horrible idea." Natsumi wailed.

"Quit moping! You can't back out now. Come. Let me so your hair and make up."

She sat in front of the mirror and let her sister work her magic on her. Really if she knew the punishment for slipping up in a mission would be so severe she would have followed every instruction to the T. Now she just would have to suffer the consequences. She closed her eyes and shut off all thoughts of missions for the moment.

Minutes later, Samui shook her,"Gorgeous, you are ready to go! Just don't break any hearts while you are out there okay?"

Natsumi stared at her reflection and almost couldn't recognise herself. Her eyes had a shimmery blue ting that made her green eyes stand out. Why Samui had put eye makeup though was beyond her! After all she was going to be wearing a mask which covered her eyes. Her lips too had some blood red stuff that made them look plump and glossy. She smiled noting her frizzy hair which had been tamed into a neat chignon at the nape of her neck with a few strands artistically framing her face.

"I'll try sis! Honestly, not breaking hearts with this kind of make up will be a waste."

Samui laughed,"Run along now, you. And be safe."

"Yeah, yeah mom!" Natsumi air hair flipped and smiled,"Later!" She caught the door post before she fell and yelled out to her teammate and best friend,"Chie, are you ready? We need to leave."

Chie twirled in her red gown and gold mask with a flowery vine pattern," Am I recognisable?"

"Nope! You look positively smoking."

"Awwww... You too!"

* * *

Gaara looked at his paper work with a hopeless sigh and groaned. Why? Why did this paperwork have to be mentioned as job description of Kazekage. It should have been put up as hazards of being Kazekage. Tch. What a pain. He closed his eyes and leant back in his chair to take a minutes break.

"Gaara, you need to go! Are you done with your work?"

He looked up to see his sister leaning against his table.

"Go? Where, exactly?"

"You forgot, didn't you?" She sighed, a little tense. Even though they knew that Gaara had his demon under control they still were scared of him. He could feel it. Their tense postures, cool reserved voices as if he would change if they yelled.

"I'm sorry. I forgot. Where am I supposed to go?"

"The masquerade ball. It is..."

He cut her off mid- sentence. "A ball? You know I don't do dances, Temari."

"I know, I know. There is just one dance you need to do. Anyone. To maintain appearances. Only rule is that you cannot reveal your identity or ask for an identity."

"And what am I supposed to wear?"

"Ah yes! I have kept your suit in the room. Ask me if you need help with the tie." She arranged a few papers into a neat stack and turned to him. "I will be coming with you to escort you and as a guard. Kankuro will be there too. One problem. You won't be able to carry your gourd."

She held her hand up to stop any verbal onslaught but he merely glared at her.

"I'm sorry", she said,"but glaring wont do you any good. So you have to leave it behind."

"Fine." He snapped and turned to go to his room. Inside, on his bed, Temari had neatly laid out a white shirt and black trousers. His coat hung carelessly on a hanger.

"Tch. Never hangs my coat properly."

He showered and dressed in record time and ran his fingers through his hair. The moment he stepped out of his room, Temari handed him a black mask which would cover half of his face.

"Black?" He asked her.

"Yeah. Blue or green would clash with your hair."

He rolled his eyes and walked out the room with Temari and Kankuro following him, unrecognisable with their respective masks.

* * *

** And that's my newest way to begin my new year. New year greetings everyone. I donno if its new year wherever you'll are but it is here soooo yay. **

**Party hard. Find nice OTPs and above all review**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry for the late update. My iPod is messed up! Also further on I will be updating every monday since my school has started! What a pain! This chapter is dedicated to: ShadowWolf62400 and reegreeg**

**Disclaimer: don't own nothing**

* * *

"So we just have to go to this place and spy on the higher ups of other villages?" Chie asked Natsumi as they neared the venue of the ball.

"Yeah pretty much!" Natsumi replied.

"But how do we identify the different people? It's a masked event right?"

"They probably have insiders to identify people we talk to."

"And what if we find some really really cute guys out here? How do we contact them again? I mean we aren't even allowed to ask their names!"

"Oh Chie I'm sure you'll find a way around it!"

"And if you find a cutie?"

"Nah! Not going to happen! What's up with you trying to set me anyway!"

"It's mandatory. And I have a feeling you'll find someone here!"

Natsumi just sighed giving her friend a broad margin. "Lets just go!"

They walk through the glass doors of their venue and are

greeted by a guard. They hand over the passes and step inside.

"Wow! Are you as awestruck as I am?" Chie asks her comrade.

Natsumi just nods unable to form a coherent sentence.

The hall is huge with a long buffet table set up with all kinds of coloured foods. A huge crystal chandelier hangs in the middle right above the dance floor. On one side there are ice sculptures and on another side diagonally opposite it are flame throwers.

"Okay, Chie says feeling the need to break the silence between them. "That makes sense." Pointing at the fire and ice.

"Don't point." Natsumi chided quietly. "But I get what you are saying. It definitely is in sync with their 'Fire and Ice theme."

"Heehee! We are too!" She says pointing at their red and white dresses.

"Uh Sumi? Don't you think we should move from the entrance."

She flushes,"I guess you're right, Chie!"

"I am always right. Okay now carefully hold your gown and glide don't stomp."

"Like this?" Natsumi asks beginning to 'glide'. She manages five steps before she trips on her feet and falls. Almost.

She turns to look and sees the most perfect green eyes covered by a dark mask staring at her partially covered face.

"My hero,she breathes,unable to say anything else!

Gaara

For some reason, Gaara couldn't understand, Temari and Kankuro wouldn't stop arguing. He loved his brother and sister a lot but there was only that much a person could take.

He pressed his forehead, willing his headache to stop.

"Are we there yet, Temari?

The two siblings immediately stopped fighting and looked at the younger brother.

"Nope not yet. Just five more minutes and we should be there."

"Okay." He replied, nodding his thanks, then like a petulant child asked,"Do I have to dance?"

Immediately Kankuro smiled at his little brother and said, "Awwww is wittle Gaara feeling shy?"

THWACK!

"Ow! What the hell was that for Temari?"

"Quit annoying Gaara! And Gaara, yes you have to dance. Even though high security measures are there, you must maintain the façade."

"Tch! Fine!" Gaara said aloud while searching for the reason he had become Kazekage. That's right! It was because of Naruto. God! The things he did to prove himself to his friends!

"That reminds me, Temari, schedule a trip to Konoha soon after we return. They are saying that Naruto is going to be returning to Konoha in a months time. So free all my dates and ask for the appropriate papers."

Geesh! More papers. Nasty pieces of scrap!

"Alright Gaara Temari put your masks on. I can see the hall" Kankuro said interrupting his train of thought.

"Right!" They both replied.

"Oi. Do you think I should wear a mask? I mean isn't my face paint enough?"

"Put it on right now Kankuro before I..."

"God. Don't need to be so violent sis! You won't score any guys like this y'know?"

And in times like Gaara wondered, how were they related again?

He entered the hall, and looked around mildly impressed. In front of him two awestruck girls stood. He sighed and began walking to the side of the hall.

As he began walking from the corner of his eye he could see the one carefully almost nervously pick up her dress as her friend instructed something.

Huh? He thought, What was she nervous about?

A moment later he had his hands around her waist resisting the smirk that was threatening to show. Clumsy huh?

"My saviour" she said in an airy breathy voice. Gaara wanted more than to rip the mask off and see if her eyes were as blue as they looked. Blue with a slight tinge of green.

"Can I have this dance?" He asked her as another sweet slow song began. Better get it over as soon as possible he thought

"Uh.. Sur... Wait! WHAT? I can't dance I don't do dances. You just caught me tripping while walking"

"So? If you trip I'll catch you again!"

Her friend who was gaping at them for so long immediately butted in and said," I'm sure she'll love to dance with you"

"Great! Then that's settled!"

* * *

**Yosh this is the next chappie: I've made Natsumi and Chie behave like sisters but Natsumi and Samui are real sisters. Chie and Natsumi are really good friends. Ive tried to include moments of sibling bonding for the Sand trio. **

**For those who didn't understand the time arc is sort of before Shippuden you'll understand where I'm heading in a few more chapters. Stay tuned!**

**R&R folks. Thanks ShadowWolf62400 again. And Ree! love your reviews. **


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm so sorry for the late update. I'm suffering from the worst possible writers block and I've practically forced this chapter out so it might suck. **

**On the brighter side.. Shikatema shippers rejoice. I may have added a teensy shikatema moment. **

**On with the story... Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto**

* * *

Natsumi was annoyed. Beyond annoyed even, she was pissed! She didn't come here to dance!

"You seem extremely unhappy."

She turned to look at the red haired stranger next to her. True though, if the dances that came her way looked like the one in front of her even she wouldn't mind accepting them.

"No, she heard herself reply, "I'm just annoyed that Chie forced me to do this."

She immediately clapped her hand over her mouth after she said that and started hyperventilating,"omg you totally didn't hear that. Damn I'm so stupid." She knocked her hands on either side of her head until the red haired took her hands and calmly said,"how about we make a fair deal. I will tell you the name of my closest confidante and then we'll pretend like we never heard the names okay?"

"Uh.. I guess!" She looked at him dubiously.

"So my closest confidante is Temari my sister."

"Cool." She answered unsure of what to say. Thankfully he knew what to do. He took her hands and entwined their fingers while his other hand held her waist securely.

Natsumi shivered. Never in her whole life had anyone made her feel so feverishly warm yet cold at the same time.

"Don't worry about falling. I will catch you." He said it with so much conviction, that she gave to the feel of his strong arms and danced. Samui anyway kept pestering her to dance and be a little more social. Perhaps this would be a start. Then why was that small voice at the back of her head telling her that this was a bad idea? Ah right. If this did go well she would probably have to spy on him and betray him.

She shut off all negative thoughts and decided to enjoy the dance a little more. Maybe he would an ordinary human with no real importance. She entertained a brief possibility of the bought before filing it away for later.

"You know I've figured out why you fall so often."

His warm smooth voice broke her reverie. She looked up to see his green eyes piercing into her own as if it would find the secret if her soul.

"Oh really? Pray tell me what is it?"

"You are distracted. So you forget about the world around you. You probably think a lot of something."

"Is that so?" She asked him, a small smirk playing at the sides of her lips.

"Yep. That is so." He replied trying hard and failing to resist his own smirk.

Damn, Natsumi thought as she saw the cute smirk gracing his lips. Till now I thought he was hot. But he is friggin' smexy!

She lightly shivered and turned her head away wanting to hide her blush.

"Hey are you cold?" He asked her slightly concerned. She shook her head as the song to an end and they moved to the side. He pursed his lips and shrugged off his jacket and handed it to her.

"Uh.. And how exactly will I return the jacket? I don't exactly know who you are!" She said gesturing at the masks which covered her face.

"Well, he said leaning close to her ear and whispering,"You know my sisters name, I know your friends. Lets see who finds the other faster, 'kay?"

Gaara

She is gorgeous, he thought, as he handed her his jacket. He didn't even know her name but he knew he would have to find her again.

She muttered something about giving the jacket back and not knowing him so he couldn't resist.

He bent down and whispered in her ear,"

You know my sisters name, I know your friends. Lets see who finds the other faster, 'kay?"

Gaara stared at the blonds hair and rose bud for a few more seconds then lightly kissed her hand and bid farewell.

He sped-walked towards the end of the hall where Temari and Kankuro were standing.

"Can we leave? Now that my dance is over?" He asked Temari.

"Awww.. Is wittle Gaara trying to avoid someone?" His annoying older brother asked and promptly got a thwack on the head, courtesy Temari's fan.

"Uh sure.." Temari began to answer when a tall guy with spiky hair pulled back in a pony and a grey mask approached her and asked her for a dance. She obliged and threw a slightly (un)apologetic look at her brothers.

"Shikamaru huh? We need to have a talk with him Gaara." Kankuro said facing his red-head brother.

However Gaara had other plans. He was going to have a talk with Temari and ask her whether what he felt for the mysterious blond was similar to what she felt for Shikamaru.

"Oi.. Earth to Gaara! Are you even listening to me?"

"Yeah I am, Gaara replied in his usual monotone voice. "I was just thinking about some work related stuff."

Sure, he thought to himself as Kankuro whined about being ignored, just work related stuff. For now till he worked things out he would have to keep thoughts of the elusive blond filed away.

* * *

**Yeah** **you are allowed to hate me. It IS small. It IS forced. But in my defense I'm not getting enough reviews to support my writing needs. please people, for whoever understands the torture of going through writers blocks, please review. I never know what might inspire me. **

**IMP: i have put up a poll incase anyone has Valentine day requests. (I have put it this soon cause I will need time to write it ^writers block^) so vote if you want to. **

**Reviews will be appreciated. I need a few reviews to write. I don't even mind single word reviews. **


End file.
